“I would like to help lead the charge to ratchet down this vitriolic rhetoric that’s out in the political debate that we see today — which is on both sides — and those things have to change,” Davis said after the meeting.

He says the appearance with Durbin was the first such meeting in his Congressional career. But he also says there’s not enough coverage of the fact that the majority of what gets done in Congress happens on a bipartisan basis.

“Congressman Davis and I just had a debate and we didn’t break out into a fight," he said. "It was civilized, and I hope gentlemanly, and I think the ministers agreed. And we have to encourage more people to do the same."

The health care meeting with ministers was closed to the press. It comes as Republicans in Washington are working on a replacement for the Affordable Care Act. Republican senators have said they hope to vote on the Obamacare repeal within the next two weeks.